Deadline for hurricane damage re-appraisal looms

Ben LundinStaff Writer

Monday

Oct 13, 2008 at 3:00 PMOct 13, 2008 at 4:08 PM

THIBODAUX — Lafourche Parish residents whose homes were damaged in hurricanes Gustav and Ike have until Oct. 20 to reduce the assessed value of their home — in turn lowering their tax payments — before it becomes more challenging to do so.In Terrebonne, residents cannot seek a reduction from hurricane damages until they receive their tax notices, which the assessor’s office expects to send in late November.Lafourche Parish Assessor Mike Martin said until Oct. 20 the decision to lower appraised value is ultimately up to his office, but after the deadline, any changes will need approval from him and the Louisiana Tax Commission.“After the 20th it’s a case by case basis,” he said. “That’s why I’m trying to get everybody in by Oct. 20.”The Terrebonne assessor’s office requires the tax notice, an insurance claim showing any damages and photographs of the home. In Lafourche, residents should bring an insurance or FEMA claim and photographs, but it’s not required.Martin said he’s received fewer re-quests to lower appraised values than expected but could not pinpoint an exact figure.“ For Katrina, we had 48, and it may be a little more than Katrina,” he said.Charles Abels, state Tax Commission administrator, encouraged any-one who incurred property damage, even if an insurance claim shows a minimal amount, attempt to lower their appraised value.“Say $20,000 of damage was done to the property, he can take that off their value,” Abels said, adding that the assessor can choose to reappraise property at a value that could be different than an insurance claim.That could significantly cut the cost of property taxes or make a homeowner exempt. In Louisiana, all of a home’s value under $75,000 is free from property taxes.Meanwhile, the deadline to protest the state’s standard values of some property has passed in both parishes.The Lafourche Parish Council is set to consider the lone protest in the two parishes by CDM Resource Management, which claims the state’s standard value is too high.An item on its agenda appears to indicate that anyone will be allowed to protest state-standard property values during a 6 p.m. hearing. But only CDM Resource Management will be given that right because the company protested before the Oct. 3 deadline.The Parish Council will serve as a board of review, which will in turn appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission. If the Tax Commission denies their claim, they can either take the issue to court or let it die.Terrebonne’s deadline was Sept. 11, and the board of review was set to consider protests Sept. 24.The Lafourche meeting begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Lafourche Parish Council’s temporary chambers in the former Walmart building, 4876 La. 1, Mathews.

Staff Writer Ben Lundin can be reached at 448-7635 or ben.lundin@dailycomet.com.

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